When I first started working with New Christian children, I was really surprised at how few of them understand sin. This is the reason that Answers For New Christians starts with the story of Adam and Eve. After all, how can you be saved if you don’t know that you are a sinner? What are you saved from?
Part of the problem is the fact that children are afraid if they say they did something wrong, they might get in trouble. So it’s hard to know. But I remember one little girl who was about five years old. She was in the the New Christian class. We went through the story of Adam and Eve. We went over Romans 3:23. and Romans 5:8. (Bear in mind, that in order to be in this class, a child had to profess a desire to be saved either in a worship service, or to a parent or teacher. So most all of the children in our New Christian Class had already prayed to receive Christ.) When I got to the sin workbook page in Answers For New Christians, I asked her the question, “Are you a sinner?”
She did not hesitate. “She looked me square in the eye and said, “NO!”
I was a little taken aback, and went over the material again. I asked her again, in a little different way this time, “Have you ever sinned?”
She repeated her answer. I went over the river and through the woods, explaining sin, how I had sinned, and everybody, even she had sinned. Then it got ugly. She got angry and wrinkled up her little brow, and informed me that she had NEVER sinned. At that point, I had to just gently tell her that the Bible said that she had sinned, and that I would pray for her. This child had not been saved, because she had never come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. No matter how great our Bible stories are, the Holy Spirit is the one who draws people to himself. As parents and teachers we must pray for our children to realize that they need to be forgiven of their sins.
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She was right; she has not sinned and is not a sinner. A five year old can barely tie her shoes much less understand sin. I will agree that most children who are baptized have no idea why they are doing it and that is why we NEVER read of a child being converted in the New Testament. The New Covenant first announced in Jeremiah 31:34 tells us that every covenant child of God will know Him and not need to be taught. This means they will have to know Him (and His conditions for forgiveness) before they can be a Christian. Five year olds cannot even understand the basic world around them; they are therefore all safe, unable to sin and not held accountable for their actions. Notice how God did not hold anyone accountable in the Old Testament until they were 20 years old (numbers 14:28-31). A 20 year old is accountable because he is capable of knowing right and wrong and making the proper choice. Children are different, they may know what they have been told to do and not do, but they cannot reason yet why one is right and the other is wrong and therefore they are not held accountable for choosing to do wrong. Even our feeble human laws do not hold children accountable unless they are close to adulthood and deemed mentally capable of knowing better. I attended a teacher training seminar last year specifically dealing with teaching teens and one of the topics we addressed heavily was why teens often leave the church when they go to college… Why? They were “saved” with out ever being lost. They professed the desire to be saved because they were taught to in bible class and from the pulpit and they want to go to heaven. However they equate going to hell with not “being saved” and therefore want to be saved, but they have not sinned and are not lost. We make the mistake of thinking that they know what they are asking and go ahead and baptize them not wanting to miss the opportunity. They do not change they do not repent they remain the same, why? Because they do not understand sin they do not realize that it is sin that separates man from God and sends him to hell. They go on with their life and one day sin and are at that moment lost. Then what? They have already been saved right? Wrong they went through motions, but to no avail, no one can be saved who is not lost. They are lost thinking that they have been saved and wondering why they feel lost and guilty when We are promised a clean conscience from God when we are baptized 1 Peter 3:21. This is a huge problem in every church not just yours. We must stop trying to save children who are not lost and focus on making sure that when they are mentally accountable that we are there to lead they to Jesus!
Just because a child has not reached the age of accountability, that does not mean he or she has not sinned. Yes, we should avoid manipulation of children. However, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and forbid them not, for of such is made the kingdom of God.” Children can believe in Jesus and be converted. In fact, new research has found that most people are converted as children. According to your philosophy, when a child learns about Jesus and asks to be saved, we should tell him or her “No, you are too young. You must wait until you are 20!” The Bible says, “Even a child is known by his doings, whether they be good and right.” I’m sorry I have to disagree with most of what you have said here.